The New Stuff

KidsClick hires 4Kids/Vortexx alum; gets new launch commercial

KidsClick is only days away from launch and the block’s operator, Sinclair Broadcast Group, has made an important management announcement. The company has appointed two children’s entertainment veterans in key positions. Daniel Barnathan has become Vice President Family and Children’s Programming and Sales at Sinclair. This position gives him direct oversight over KidsClick. Additionally, Jonathan Dern has been named Executive Producer and will oversee and manage KidsClick programming, promotion and operations.

Barnathan initially entered the kids entertainment working various positions for ABC, including heading up the 2000 reorganization of their Disney Kids television businesses. In 2002, he was hired by 4Kids Entertainment to be the executive vice president of sales, marketing and promotion for the Fox Box Saturday morning block. He stayed with the company through the block’s transition to 4KidsTV, The CW4Kids and Toonzai. When 4Kids filed for bankruptcy in 2012 and sold its broadcast assets to Saban Brands, he stuck on until the block’s end in 2014.

Jonathan Dern co-founded MGM Animation alongside Paul Sabella. The two later started SD Entertainment, where they worked on things like the 2003 Transformers Go-Bots cartoon, the Care Bears relaunch in the early 2000s, My Little Pony direct-to-video features and Angelina Ballerina.

By hiring these two, it’s another sign that Sinclair is serious about building KidsClick into a formidable block. One can only wonder what kind of programming they’ll acquire in the future.

Earlier, we showed you some of the KidsClick advertising going on local stations – some of which used the national promo, while others did a direct segment during the news. Both were focused on showcasing the block as a way to relive some found memories of waking up early to catch some cartoons. Now we’ve got another commercial, but this one’s aimed at the kids:

KidsClick launches July 1, 2017 on ThisTV and select Sinclair-owned television stations. The block runs seven days a week. On weekdays, you can catch it between 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. and on weekends 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. eastern/pacific. Do note, however, that the local stations are free to air KidsClick on their own schedule, so it’s best to consult a TV guide! At the block’s debut, it’ll be available in more than 75 million homes. Later this summer, KidsClick will be available through online platforms, like the block’s website, mobile apps and over-the-top platforms such as Roku.

What do you think of the KidsClick advertising so far? Which shows would you like to see Barnathan and Dern pick up? Leave a comment down below.

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